What Does “Apocryphal” Mean in the Bible?
An ancient book about Jesus or the saints that is not part of the Bible.
It can mean
- An example: the Protoevangelium of James, where the names of Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary, come from.
- Who decides: the Tradition of the apostles helped the Church recognize which books make up the Bible. That list is called the “canon.”
- How many: the Bible has 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New.
Source: RAE, “apócrifo”; Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), “Apocrypha”; Catechism 120 and 138